CB - Best Night for Specialty Dining

[Pusniski]

Is there any night that is best to skip the main dining room to dine at Sabitini's?

 

We'll be on the CB (less than 3 weeks now! :D ), western itinerary, and am trying to have a game plan in my head.

[dsfitz]

I would recommend booking the specialty restaurant on "Caribbean Night" in the dining room (on our Eastern 7 day itinerary (Sunday to Sunday) it was Tuesday night).

 

In our opinion, this menu was the least appealing and would be the one to skip!

[tvaud]

I would recommend booking the specialty restaurant on "Caribbean Night" in the dining room (on our Eastern 7 day itinerary (Sunday to Sunday) it was Tuesday night).

 

In our opinion, this menu was the least appealing and would be the one to skip!

 

Everyone seems to say the same thing about Caribbean Night...but never elaborate about the dishes offered.

What happens when the new menus are in place? Does anyone know when this will happen?

[Canadian Cruiser51]

the first formal is always a special occasion, that is why we chose Sabatinis, what is on the menu in other restaurants is irrelevant, the meals are all great, the buffets are adequate Do not chose by what is on the menu but by the occasion.... this of course is my humble opinion.

[Pusniski]

I found the menus on www.cruisingthecaribbeanprincess.com. :D I should spend some time actually looking through it. :rolleyes:

 

Is there an age requirement to dine at the specialty restaurants? I'm not real clear on that and have been assuming they were adult only. I just found a post where someone took their 8 year old with them. :)

 

I actually thought of the 2nd formal night. No need to make DH wear his tux anymore than he has to. My DS would be estatic to get out of wearing it, too. The menus just look really good. *sigh* Maybe I should stick with original plan and book the 2nd formal night.

[Pia1913]

Is there an age requirement to dine at the specialty restaurants? I'm not real clear on that and have been assuming they were adult only. I just found a post where someone took their 8 year old with them. :)

 

.

 

I had heard it was age 13, but obviously it isn't if they allowed an 8 year old to dine.

[UKRosie]

Dont book a speciality restaurant on a formal night- the ordinary restaurants go to town on these nights and have special menus.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I found the menus on www.cruisingthecaribbeanprincess.com. :D I should spend some time actually looking through it. :rolleyes:

 

Is there an age requirement to dine at the specialty restaurants? I'm not real clear on that and have been assuming they were adult only. I just found a post where someone took their 8 year old with them. :)

 

I actually thought of the 2nd formal night. No need to make DH wear his tux anymore than he has to. My DS would be estatic to get out of wearing it, too. The menus just look really good. *sigh* Maybe I should stick with original plan and book the 2nd formal night.

 

If you go on a formal night doesn't the same dress code apply unless you eat in the buffet?

 

Bill

[AirGorilla]

If you go on a formal night doesn't the same dress code apply unless you eat in the buffet?

 

Bill

 

 

It certainly does on other cruise lines, such as HAL and Crystal.

[Pia1913]

On our last cruise we chose not to attend one of the formal nights and had dinner at the buffet. There was a couple there in full formal regalia having their dinner too. Can't understand why they would do all that dress-up and then do Horizon Court.

[cruzinchris]

...There was a couple there in full formal regalia having their dinner too. Can't understand why they would do all that dress-up and then do Horizon Court.

 

Maybe the wait was too long in the alternative dining rooms. Plenty of folks who usually do the buffet want to enjoy a dining room on formal nights, and there is often a wait without reservations. Just a thought...

Chris

[Pia1913]

Maybe the wait was too long in the alternative dining rooms. Plenty of folks who usually do the buffet want to enjoy a dining room on formal nights, and there is often a wait without reservations. Just a thought...

Chris

 

It's a thought, though we too were doing personal choice and never had to wait. Different strokes...............

[busterfla]

I would recommend booking the specialty restaurant on "Caribbean Night" in the dining room (on our Eastern 7 day itinerary (Sunday to Sunday) it was Tuesday night).

 

In our opinion, this menu was the least appealing and would be the one to skip!

 

Coming off the 4/22 CB cruise, I can agree with the above comment. When we checked the dinner menu the morning of, we saw nothing of interest and tried to get into Sterling's, but they were booked solid. We then elected to hit the Cafe Caribe at the back of the Horizon Court and had really nice meal there.

 

If I remember correctly, one of the entrees on the Caribbean Night menu in the dinning room was flying fish (?) I would have gone if it was snapper or Mahi-Mahi.

[sanjosebarbie]

I too would suggest going to a specialty restaurant on Caribbean Night. I don't remember all of the dishes, but one of my favorites used to be the Flying fish. They have changed it and now it is awful. My mom got the other seafood dish that night, and it was okay...some kind of stew or something (I just can't remember). The other two ladies at our table got the lamb shank, and it looked like something out of an episode of the Flintstones (it was so huge, I expected the table to topple over). They said it was okay, but the rack of lamb served later in the week was better. I got pasta that night. All of the other nights had excellent menus, so I was very disappointed in this one. Even our waitress commented that nobody liked the food on that night (we always asked for her honest opinion, and she always gave it...we loved her).

 

Mind you, I had a perfectly edible meal, but it would have been a good night to try something different. I'm sure there is somebody out here who really likes this night, but I haven't really run into anybody yet.

[Whimsy]

We chose to do Sabatini's on Caribbean night also. We plan on doing Sterlings this next trip on Caribbean night again. Of all the menus that one was least appealing to us.

[Paticakes]

We also choose Caribbean Night to book Sabatini's. We were on the 4/22 CB and looked at the menus prior to leaving to decide on the night. I agree that the least appealing was Caribbean night. We also did the German buffet in the Caribe Cafe on Wednesday. I think it was Italian Night in the dining room so we opted for German since we had Italian on Tuesday.

[AirGorilla]

For booking reservations in either Sabatini's or the Sterling Steak House, when is the best time to make the reservation?

 

Is it possible to do this in advance of the cruise, like it is for shore excursions and spa appointments?

 

Thanks!

[Pia1913]

For booking reservations in either Sabatini's or the Sterling Steak House, when is the best time to make the reservation?

 

Is it possible to do this in advance of the cruise, like it is for shore excursions and spa appointments?

 

Thanks!

 

You need to do your res as soon as you board. Make that first on your agenda. Before lunch. :)

[Pusniski]

I didn't mean we didn't have to dress up on formal night at Sabitini's. I meant that he wouldn't have to dress in a tux for 3 nights vs. 2 nights.

 

Caribbean night doesn't look all that appealing to me either except for the fish. Now that you've said the fish is not all that good it looks like DH's tux will get a little more wear this trip. :D

 

A 13 year old age requirement for specialty restaurants sounds reasonable. Maybe the 8 year old was a fluke?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I didn't mean we didn't have to dress up on formal night at Sabitini's. I meant that he wouldn't have to dress in a tux for 3 nights vs. 2 nights.

 

Caribbean night doesn't look all that appealing to me either except for the fish. Now that you've said the fish is not all that good it looks like DH's tux will get a little more wear this trip. :D

 

A 13 year old age requirement for specialty restaurants sounds reasonable. Maybe the 8 year old was a fluke?

 

Thanks for the clarification.:)

 

I still have one more question.:D

 

Why would your husband have to wear his tux 3 times if you ate at Sabatinis on any night other than formal nights?

 

Bill

[AirGorilla]

You need to do your res as soon as you board. Make that first on your agenda. Before lunch. :)

 

Thanks much!! IMHO, they should allow the pax to make their reservations in advance, just like for shore excursions. Or restrict that to Captains Club members.

 

Anyway, thanks for the response!

 

AG

[tvaud]

I actually thought of the 2nd formal night. No need to make DH wear his tux anymore than he has to. My DS would be estatic to get out of wearing it, too. The menus just look really good. *sigh* Maybe I should stick with original plan and book the 2nd formal night.

 

Both specialty restaurants follow the same dress code as the main dining rooms each night. If it's formal night in the main dining room, it's formal dress in Sabatini's and Sterling's as well.

[dsfitz]

I do not believe there is a restriction - we saw kids that looked about 8 or 9 in Sterling's (they were behaving very well, as a matter of fact).

 

However, I think the cover charge is the same no matter the age so that is probably why you don't see too many kids.

[Pusniski]

Both specialty restaurants follow the same dress code as the main dining rooms each night. If it's formal night in the main dining room, it's formal dress in Sabatini's and Sterling's as well.

 

I completely understand. ;) We choose to go on the 2nd formal night so he doesn't have to dress up a 3rd night. I think I totally confused people by my statement. LOL

 

 

dsfitz - I'm not going to try it. Plus, it's nice dining sans kids. :D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I completely understand. ;) We choose to go on the 2nd formal night so he doesn't have to dress up a 3rd night. I think I totally confused people by my statement. LOL

 

 

dsfitz - I'm not going to try it. Plus, it's nice dining sans kids. :D

 

Nothing new hear but I'm still totally confused.:confused:

 

Why would your husband have to dress up a 3rd night?

 

Bill